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Wednesday, February 03, 2010

I'm addicted to the SALE BIN - whether it's at a yarn store, a thrift or consignment store, or anywhere else. I always head FIRST to the "SALE" sign - wherever I am. My friends and family know this; some come with me, and some shun that move! And sometimes I find the MOST amazing things; sometimes I manage to get a dud!

I think I "dudded" recently when I purchased some yarn that seemed a little messed up and needed to be wound. It was NOT my favorite colors by any means, but it was expensive originally, so I thought "Why not? I can untangle this mess - no problem!" And then I can make some lovely piece with it that someone else will love!

I should have taken a photo from the start, but as you can see from this current state of affairs, I still have quite a ways to go on untangling it. It has these bumps like shoelaces on a thin string. IMPOSSIBLE to pull at - it needs to be CAREFULLY undone, inch by dreadful inch. My DH and I have both spent many evenings recently working on it. MAJOR FRUSTRATION!!! So that is my Challenge #1.

Challenge #2: Create something lovely with the yarn once wound! So far, there are several small balls of the yarn, small because at frequent junctures, the frustration level becomes so great that you just
P-U-L-L with great strength, and of course, the string breaks! No matter! I can do something with this yarn!

OK, OK, so I hate the color; I HATE the texture; I can't imagine anything good to come out of this experience, but I am determined! Ideas are jelling. I'm thinking it could work in one of my new freeform neckwraps with flower embellishments. So this morning, I carefully went through my stash to see if I could find some accompanying fibers to create the flowers. In spite of hating ALL the colors of this tangled yarn (I no longer have the wrapper, so I have no clue what it is and I don't care! Trust me, I'll never buy anything in that condition again), I did find - in the bowels of my stash - some cottony yarns in complementary colors that I think will work for the flowers.

So....I will try this out. Mind you, if I hate the results, even as it emerges, I don't believe it will be possible to rip it out, because of those !^&*^@R*^@#$&* shoelacey bumps! I'll show the piece in progress later.

Do you see that mess on the lower left of the photo? That's what's left to untangle. Maybe my freeform neckwrap WON'T need that much and I can throw the remainder away - or donate it to some patient stitcher. My group meets on Monday....now who can I give this to?